Pale Indian Plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium)


     Pale Indian Plantain is a native, perennial wildflower in Wisconsin. It grows three to nine feet tall.  The flowers are small, white to cream, and arranged in flat-topped clusters at the end of the branches. The flower clusters are two to six inches wide and composed of four to 15 flower heads. It has gray-green leaves that are finely divided and whorled around the stem. The leaves are irregular, fan-shaped, and coarsely lobed or toothed. The basal leaves are up to eight inches long and six inches wide. Springtime will bring an unbranched stalk with alternate leaves of up to eight inches long and eight inches wide. This plant likes moist to dry soil and full sun to light shade. It is usually found in prairies, savannas, and along stream banks. (SF)